News Detail
EDGE Zimbabwe Blog Post #1
The adventure begins!
The last name was called on the attendance list at Accent Inn and, for the first time, the group was finally all together! Everyone had big smiles and was questioning if this was actually happening. We got the ‘low down’ for the next couple of days of traveling and how important it was to stay together and make sure we always were paying attention. Nobody was able to sit still at this meeting, and a 2:45 am wake up call didn't help either. Very few of us actually slept that night, the excitement was taking over.
The good old Shawnigan polos were back on when 3:00am rolled around; the boys in full uniform, while the girls got to wear Lululemon leggings. The girls were pretty comfortable at least. The first flight was a breeze, everyone got through no problem and many slept that flight. Slowly the flights got longer and so did the lines; you could tell everyone was slowly dying out, but the suspense of the adventure in Zimbabwe kept everyone going. The 1 hour layover in Atlanta to get to the next flight was what most of us were dreading, but I have to say that I’ve never seen a group of 26 students maneuver through a huge crowd so smoothly and quickly before. The 15 hour flight was easier than expected, with the option of hundreds of movies, T.V. shows and a couple of meals to help keep us occupied.
Landing in Johannesburg for the first time for most students was eye opening to say the least. The drive to our Bed & Breakfast had everyone in awe and eyes peering out the window. A huge metal gate opened and we entered within the 9 foot cement walls with electric fencing sitting on top. I felt secure entering this place, and soon learned after that it was common for houses to have this level of security surrounding them. Our first sleep in South Africa was good for most of the night until almost every single person woke up at 3 am, with many of us not being able to get back to sleep. We left the B & B at 10 am the next morning for our last and final flight to Zimbabwe. There was some sense of relief but at the same time we were coming up on the most stressful part of the trip, which actually worked out quite well. It was really nice seeing Mrs. Conroy be reunited with her Mom for the first time in a year.
We loaded our bags and off we went for everyone's first drive from the airport to Bulawayo. We arrived at Mrs. Conroy’s house for our dinner and nobody at the end of the night was able to keep their eyes open. The next day was a sleep-in that everyone thoroughly enjoyed and we met for breakfast at 11am when everyone enjoyed their first Zimbabwean breakfast. The afternoon was filled with fun when we went to a animal sanctuary just south of Bulawayo and saw an assortment of animals native to Africa and got to witness the feeding of the lions. The pacing of the lions was the best and scariest part, the roar definitely got the adrenaline running. The first few nights with each other has truly been so much fun - it's already been amazing and it’s only been 3 days. I honestly can’t wait for the amazing adventures to come with this team. This already has been an unforgettable trip and we have barely dipped into the fun and adventures lying ahead for us! Tomorrow we are off to Antelope Park and will report back once we have access to WiFi again.
—Mikhala F.
Back
The good old Shawnigan polos were back on when 3:00am rolled around; the boys in full uniform, while the girls got to wear Lululemon leggings. The girls were pretty comfortable at least. The first flight was a breeze, everyone got through no problem and many slept that flight. Slowly the flights got longer and so did the lines; you could tell everyone was slowly dying out, but the suspense of the adventure in Zimbabwe kept everyone going. The 1 hour layover in Atlanta to get to the next flight was what most of us were dreading, but I have to say that I’ve never seen a group of 26 students maneuver through a huge crowd so smoothly and quickly before. The 15 hour flight was easier than expected, with the option of hundreds of movies, T.V. shows and a couple of meals to help keep us occupied.
Landing in Johannesburg for the first time for most students was eye opening to say the least. The drive to our Bed & Breakfast had everyone in awe and eyes peering out the window. A huge metal gate opened and we entered within the 9 foot cement walls with electric fencing sitting on top. I felt secure entering this place, and soon learned after that it was common for houses to have this level of security surrounding them. Our first sleep in South Africa was good for most of the night until almost every single person woke up at 3 am, with many of us not being able to get back to sleep. We left the B & B at 10 am the next morning for our last and final flight to Zimbabwe. There was some sense of relief but at the same time we were coming up on the most stressful part of the trip, which actually worked out quite well. It was really nice seeing Mrs. Conroy be reunited with her Mom for the first time in a year.
We loaded our bags and off we went for everyone's first drive from the airport to Bulawayo. We arrived at Mrs. Conroy’s house for our dinner and nobody at the end of the night was able to keep their eyes open. The next day was a sleep-in that everyone thoroughly enjoyed and we met for breakfast at 11am when everyone enjoyed their first Zimbabwean breakfast. The afternoon was filled with fun when we went to a animal sanctuary just south of Bulawayo and saw an assortment of animals native to Africa and got to witness the feeding of the lions. The pacing of the lions was the best and scariest part, the roar definitely got the adrenaline running. The first few nights with each other has truly been so much fun - it's already been amazing and it’s only been 3 days. I honestly can’t wait for the amazing adventures to come with this team. This already has been an unforgettable trip and we have barely dipped into the fun and adventures lying ahead for us! Tomorrow we are off to Antelope Park and will report back once we have access to WiFi again.
—Mikhala F.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
